Happy Garden - November 6, 2008

This week we have an article about Cutting Back Perennials In The Fall.

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Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Photos:

• Garden: Angel Trumpet Bush
• Garden: Fall Yard Decorations
• Garden: Roses In Bloom
• Garden: Last Of Summer Sunflowers
• Garden: Sunflower Showoff

Tips and Articles:

• Cutting Back Perennials In The Fall
• Recycle Carpet to Create Flowerbed

New Requests:

• Planting Rooted Willow Tree Branches
• Flowers to Grow in Nashville, TN
• Growing a Banana Plant in Texas
• Burning Bush Losing Its Leaves
• Pests Eating a Sweet Potato Plant
• Growing a Plant in Water
• Using Black Tights for Tying Plants
• Passion Plant Has Sour Fruit
• Flying Bugs on Miniature Rose Bush

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Garden: Angel Trumpet Bush

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Garden: Fall Yard Decorations

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Garden: Roses In Bloom

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Garden: Last Of Summer Sunflowers

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Garden: Sunflower Showoff

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Cutting Back Perennials In The Fall
By Ellen Brown

Cleaning up the garden in the fall can be a bit confusing, especially when it comes to cutting back perennials. Should you leave them alone or cut them back as soon as they fade? The answer, of course, depends on the plant.

When to Leave Them Alone

In general, as long as your perennials look good, leave them alone. Sure, some may die back after the first heavy frost, but others will remain standing and add interest to the garden all winter long.

Advantages of leaving dried seed heads and foliage of healthy plants intact until next spring:

• Aesthetic appeal. Ornamental grasses and evergreens, for example, look great in the winter.
• Provides food and shelter for native animals and birds.
• Beneficial insects overwinter in plant debris.
• In cold climates, dead plant foliage traps leaves and snow (insulation and moisture). This helps improve its chances for survival over winter while helping to protect other garden plants.
• Intact plants serve as a reminder of where your plants are when it comes time to add plants in the spring.

When to Cut Them Back

Certain plants benefit from being cut back in the fall. Rarely is this important aesthetically, but from a sanitary standpoint, it can make or break your next growing season. If insects or diseases attacked some of your perennials this year, the best thing to do is cut them back. This reduces the chances of carrying over attacks to the next season and eliminates over-wintering sites for rodents or harmful insects. Make sure you dispose of damaged plant debris in the garbage and not the compost pile. Most perennials can be safely cut back to within a couple of inches of the ground.

Visibly damaged or infested foliage should be removed as soon as possible, but if you are cutting back foliage as a preventive measure, wait until after several hard frosts have killed back the tops. Depending on the plants, hand pruners, hedge clippers, or even scissors will work fine, just make sure the cutting edges are sharp.

Advantages to cutting your perennials back in the fall:

• Gets rid of plant debris damaged by insects or disease.
• Eliminates places for rodents or harmful insects to spend the winter.
• Gives the garden with a neat, clean appearance.
• Saves time in the spring in zones with short growing seasons (Its still a good idea to save a stem or two to trap leaves and snow.)

Apply Mulch After Cutting

If you decide to cut back your perennials in the fall, take the opportunity to apply some mulch before winter. With the stems and foliage gone from your plants, you will have plenty of room to maneuver. Applying mulch will help your perennials conserve moisture going into the winter, and protect the roots and crowns from cold damage and frost heaving.

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Recycle Carpet to Create Flowerbed

Recycle that old carpet, and shrink the landfills. Cut the carpet in to any shape, you want your flower bed to be. Lay the carpet face down, and cover with mulch. You use less mulch and it last for years and years. When you are ready to plant, cut a X and plant.This is not organic for your vegetable garden.

Source: A friend told me this, years ago.

By Laura from Spartangurg, SC

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Planting Rooted Willow Tree Branches

I recently cut a bunch of pencil size limbs from my willow tree. I placed them in a vase full of water. This was about a month ago. They are growing roots like crazy. It is early November in upstate NY. What do I do with them now? Start transplanting them into pots, etc.? I really wanted to put them in the ground, but its close to Winter.

Hardiness Zone: 5b


Eric from Upstate, NY

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Flowers to Grow in Nashville, TN

What flowers can I plant in Nashville that will last through the spring?

Hardiness Zone: 7a


Laurie from Nashville, TN

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Growing a Banana Plant in Texas

We were given a small banana tree when the neighbors were minimizing their stand. It isn't doing too well right now. Considering the weather, the fact it was not re-planted for a few days, and that it was planted in the shade. I'd like to purchase one that is correct for this climate and start again in the spring. Any suggestions?

Hardiness Zone: 8a


Holly from Richardson, TX

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Burning Bush Losing Its Leaves

Half of my burning bushes have lost their leaves and look dead but they are not. What can I do? I take care of them for a lady and she is upset about this. This is their 2nd year and they are still green, they did not change colors. I have a row of about 20. Thanks.

J. Wilson

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Pests Eating a Sweet Potato Plant

I have a sweet potato plant that something is eating on, it has little holes. I looked to see if I could find what was eating the leaves but did not see anything. This is a border plant or used for hanging baskets.

Darlene from Carriere, MS

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Growing a Plant in Water

I am growing a plant in water. How do you keep the slime and mold out of the container.

Nancy from Austin, AR

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Using Black Tights for Tying Plants

Have you ever used these for tying plants, Opaque Black nylon tights? These were my 17 yr old granddaughter's. I know tan color are used but what about black?

Karina

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Passion Plant Has Sour Fruit

I have a very healthy passion fruit plant that is producing hundreds of fruit. Unfortunately, the fruits are sour, although the original parent plant had sweet fruits. Now my plant serves mainly as decoration as the fruit is too sour to enjoy. Is there a means, maybe by way of using specific fertilizers, that will make the fruits sweet?

Hardiness Zone: 11


marangman from Malaysia

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Flying Bugs on Miniature Rose Bush

I have a miniature rose bush with flying bugs everywhere. I have it isolated in the bathroom and have been spraying it with soapy water. Any suggestions on killing the flying bugs?

Kathy from Bel Air, MD

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